Now that the holidays are over, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, I have a bit of downtime to write my blog again.

The first thing that comes to mind to write about is the last minute requests I received for pet sitting over the holidays. I couldn't believe how many pet parents, especially with cats, waited until a few days or a week before Christmas to contact me to care for their pets. Many of these people apparently had lined up a friend or neighbor ahead of time, only to have them cancel at the last minute because they decided to go away themselves. This was obviously beyond the control of the pet owner, however, the message is clear. If you hire a professional sitter, instead of trying to save money by using a friend or family member, you won't get stuck at the last minute. A professional pet sitter will keep her or his commitment and will be there for you as agreed.

That being said, the really good pet sitters book up fairly early for the major holidays, so if you have one that you and your furry kids really like, book far in advance. I was practically full for Thanksgiving and Christmas by mid October.

I hate saying no to my clients but there are only so many hours in a day to care for others pets, and since I won't compromise on care by over-booking, many clients get turned down. I do however, always give names of other good services that can be approached for pet sitting.

The bottom line here is use a professional pet sitter and contact her/him early.